Cairo: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli stressed the importance of maximizing the benefit from a project aimed at developing the state-owned El-Esaaf pharmacies to meet citizens’ needs for medicines and medical supplies. Madbouli’s remarks came during his meeting on Monday with Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply, and the Management of Medical Technology (UPA) Bahaa El Din Zidan, and Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) Ali El Ghamrawy.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the premier highlighted the important role played by pharmacies affiliated with the health ministry and those of teaching hospitals in addressing any shortages in medicines. He stated that the State is highly interested in boosting the local manufacture of medicines, aiming to provide a secure stock of raw materials used in drug production.
On his part, the health minister reviewed a proposal on the possibility of opening large pharmacies at public hospitals frequently visited by citizens, which would contribute to ensuring the regular supply of all medicines, especially those in high demand. Abdel Ghaffar explored efforts to secure the raw materials required for local medicine production, citing a recently signed cooperation protocol between the Arab Company for Pharmaceutical Raw Materials (Arab API) and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to establish a USD 120-million multi-purpose factory for raw pharmaceutical materials.
For his part, Bahaa El Din Zidan stated that the State provides medicines that are in shortage across all El-Esaaf pharmacies nationwide. Spokesman for the Cabinet Mohamed El Homsany mentioned that the meeting reviewed a detailed report on the project to develop El-Esaaf pharmacies.
The report proposes increasing the number of pharmacies to 81, with 28 operating around the clock to reduce crowding and ease the burden on citizens. It suggests that 14 pharmacies should operate on a two-shift system. The meeting also addressed a proposal to launch the mobile app “Belshifa” in the first quarter of 2025 to expand the presence of El-Esaaf pharmacies. The mobile application will allow citizens to easily order medicines online from anywhere and at any time.